Assembling tool for interrupter arms



Apr. 17, 1923. 1,451,708

H. B. MITCHELL ASSEMBLING TOOL FOR INTERRUPTER ARMS Filed Sept. 17, 1921 awuwnto z,

15 :5 -/U z3$'c/2 ea Patented Apr. 17, 1923.

HOWARD B. MITCHELL, OF TACOMA, WASHINGTON.

ASSEMBLING TOOL FOR INTERRUPTER ARMS.

Application filed September 17, 1921.

T 0 all w hom it may concern Be it known that I, Howimn B. MiTcHnLL, citizen of the United States, residing at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Assembling Tools for Interrupter Arms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved tool for removing or replacing the interrupter arm of the distributer of an engine ignition system and seeks, among other objects, to provide a very simple and efficient tool whereby the operation of removing and replacing an interrupter arm with its spring may be easily and quickly accomplished.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tool constructed to retain the in terrupter arm thereon so that the interrupter arm may be readily manipulated by means of the tool in the restricted space of a distributer casing.

And the invention has as a still turther object to provide a tool adapted to retain the interrupter arm spring assembled upon the hub of the arm and wherein the spring will be held under tension by the tool so that the arm and spring may be readily'arranged in operative position within the distributer.

Other and incidental objects will appear hereinafter.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing a distributer of conventional design, the cover being removed,

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the interrupter arm and spring of the distributer assembled upon the tool of the present invention,

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the tool in detail,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken medially through the tool,

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a slight modification of the invention, and

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the modified structure.

This invention is particularly designed for use in connection with distributer known as the Remy distributor and in order to clearly bring out the construction and manner of use of the device I have, in the drawing. shown the tool in conjunction with a Remy distributer. In Figure 1 such a distribnter illustrated, the usual cap being Serial No. 501,491.

removed. Briefly stated, the distributer comprises a casing 10 and extending through the casing is a shaft 11 upon which is mounted a cam 12. Extending within the casing is a post 13 carrying an adjustable contact 14 and mounted to rock within the casing is an interrupter arn'r15 provided at its free end with a contact point 16 to cooperate with the contact 14. This arm further carries a block 17 of insulating material which is engageable by the cam 12 for rocking the arm and breaking the circuit between the contacts 14 and 16 and formed on the arm at its inner end is a hub 18 from which projects a spindle 19. The spindle is removably received in a suitable socket within the casing and arranged in the rear of said socket is an upstanding post 20 carrying a spring clip 21 normally bearing over the inner end of the arm for holding said arm against accidental displacement. Surrounding the hub 18 of the arm is a spring 22 one end of which is formed with a hook 23 engaging over the forward edge of the arm near its inner end while the opposite end 24 of said spring eX- tends rearwardly to coact with the post 20 so that the spring is normally held under tension urging the arm 15 to closed position. In practical use. it is often found necessary to polish the contact 16 of the arm and to accomplish this it is, of course, necessary to remove the arm. A like situation arises where the spring 2 becomes impaired. However. as wili be at once appreciated, consid-' erable diiiiculty is experienced in manually removing and repla ing the arm with its spring 22. due to the restricted space within the distributer casing. The present invention, therefore, seeks to provide a tool wherebv the operation of removing or replacing the arm with its spring may be easily and quickly accomplished.

In carrying the invention into effect. employ stock or barrel 5 which is preferably formed of metal and tightly fitting in the barrel is a core 26. This core is preferablv o suitable insuating material and extends trom the inner end of the barrel to a point near the outer end thereof. the inner terminal of the core being counterbored. as indicated at 27. to a commodate the head upon the upper end oT" the spindle 19 of the interrupter arm 15. Extendin transversely through the outer end of the barrel and through the core is a cross pin 28 looking the core Within the barrel. and providing a ham dle for the tool. Formed in the inner end of the barrel at one side thereof is a longitudinally extending slot 29 while at its adjacent end edge the barrel is further provided with a notch 30 arranged opposite said slot. The forward end wall of said notch is undercut, as indicated at 31, while between said end wall of the notch and the forward side wall of the slot 29, the barrel is cut away to provide an inclined end edge or face 32. As will be perceived, the tool is exceedingly simple inits construction and may be readily produced.

To remove the arm with its spring 22, the working end of the barrel is fitted over the inner end of the arm, the arm being accommodated in the slot 29. The barrel is then rotated in a clockwise direction until the notch is brought opposite the end 2 1 of the spring when, by pushing inwardly upon the barrel said end of the spring is engaged in said notch. This done, the tool may be lifted upwardly for removing the arm and spring. Thus, as will be seen, the arm may be readily displaced for polishing the contact point 16 of the arm. To replace the arm, the operation just described is re versed. First, the arm is fitted in the working end of the barrel in the manner suggest ed in Figure 2, the arm projecting through the slot 29. The spring 22 is then assembled upon the hub 18 of the arm and the hook 23 of the spring engaged with the forward edge of the arm. The end 2 1 of the spring is then grasped and swung in a clockwise direction against the inclined edge 32 of the barrel until said end of the spring drops into the notch 30. The undercut end wall of this notch will then securely hold the end 2% of thespring against accidental displacement from the notch so that the tool may be grasped for directing the spindle 19 of the arm into the spindle socket of the distribu ter. During this operation, the clip 21 is, of course, swung to one side so that the end 2 1 of the spring may shift to a position "behind the post 20. Thus, by then rocking the barrel slightly, the barrel may be disengaged from thespring and removed, leaving the interrupter arm and spring in operative position upon the distributer. Accordingly. the interrupter arm with its spring may be replaced with facility.

In Figures 5 and 6 of the drawing, 1 have illustrated a slight modification of the invention wherein a barrel 33 is employed, this barrel corresponding to the barrel 25 of the preferred construction and being provided at one side with a slot 34 corresponding to the slot 29. Fixed in the outer end of the barrel is a short core 35 preferably of insulating material and extending through the barrel and said core is a cross pin 36 providing a handle. Opposite the slot 34:, the barrel is provided in its adjacent end edge with an inclines notch 3? defining an overhanging hook 38 for engagement with the end 24.- of the interrupter arm spring, the notch 37 corresponding to the notch 30 of the preferred construction. From the forward side wall of the slot 3%, the barrel is formed with an inclined end edge 39 sloping upwardly to the hook so that the inner end of the spring may be easily caused to ride over said edge to engage in the notch. It will accordingly be seen that this modified form of the invention also provides a very effective tool.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

i 1. A tool of the character described including a stock formed to accommodate an interrupter arm and provided with means for holding said arm against swinging movement and with additional means to engage a spring upon the arm tensioned to swing the arm.

2. A tool of the character described including a stock formed to accommodate an interrupter arm and provided with means for holding said arm against swinging movement and with a notch to accommodate one end of a spring upon the arm tensioned to swing the arm.

3. A tool of the character described in-;

cluding a stock formed to accommodate an interrupter arm and provided with a slot to receive the arm for holding the arm against swinging movement, and means upon the stock to engage a spring upon the arm tensioned for swinging the arm.

at. A tool of the character described including a stock formed at one end to receive the inner end of an interrupter arm and provided with a slot to accommodate the arm holding the arm against swinging movement, and means upon the stock to engage a spring tensioned to swing the arm, the stock being formed with an inclined face sloping away from said iii-ca 5. A tool of the character described ineluding a stock formed to receive the inner end of an interrupter arm therein and provided with a slot to accommodate said arm holding the arm against swinging move ment, there being a notch formed in the stock for holding one end of a spring tensioned to swing the arm.

in testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HOWARD B. MITCHELL. [1,. s] 

